Associate Director, Philanthropy

Victoria University; Toronto; On-site; CAD 106,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Toronto seeks an Associate Director of Philanthropy to lead fundraising efforts, engage with donors, and manage relationships within the community. The role requires a minimum of seven years in fundraising, an undergraduate degree, and skills in donor database management. The University promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace, encouraging applications from various backgrounds. This is a full-time continuing position with a competitive salary reflecting experience and contributions.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years of related and recent experience in fundraising.
• Experience in conducting development-related research.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit leadership and major gifts.
• Develop and implement strategic donor management plans.
• Generate reports to track fundraising progress and analyze trends.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

Undergraduate degree

Tools

Arbor or similar donor database

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Posted Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 5:00 AM | Expires Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 4:59 AM

Union (USW Local 1998) Job Opportunity - Alumni Affairs & Advancement

Posting Date: January 21, 2026
Closing Date: February 4, 2026
Position Title: Associate Director, Philanthropy
Department: Alumni Affairs & Advancement
Pay Scale Group: USW Pay Band 17
Salary: $106,257 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $135,881
Type of Appointment: Continuing, Full-time

Victoria University is committed to equity in access to employment and a diverse and inclusive workplace. The University encourages applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. If you require accessibility accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department [e-mail].

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Philanthropy, the Associate Director, Philanthropy will be responsible for identifying, cultivating and soliciting leadership annual gifts ($20,000 to $50,000) and major gifts ($50,000+). This will be achieved through a highly efficient process of coordination, administration and support for fundraising activity. The incumbent will assess the needs and contribute to the development and implementation of plans for prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition, as well as determine the appropriate involvement of members of the university community and volunteers in the fundraising process. The incumbent will work closely with the Executive Director of Alumni Affairs & Advancement and with other members of the advancement team, in particular with the Senior Development Officer, Annual Giving & Stewardship.

Conducts the identification and solicitation of donors by

• Cultivating and soliciting current and prospective Major Gift and LAG donors through tailored initiatives and campaigns
• Meeting face-to-face with current and potential donors to discuss giving interests and opportunities
• Developing and implementing strategic prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation and recognition plans using existing technologies
• Determining the appropriate involvement of members of the university community and volunteers in the cultivation, solicitation and recognition process
• Evaluating a prospective donor’s giving capacity and readiness to give
• Identifying, evaluating and recommending the necessary steps to bring the prospect closer to making a major financial commitment to the University
• Writing sensitive and complex donor-specific stewardship reports
• Conducting advanced research and analysis from a variety of sources to provide detailed background data regarding donors
• Writing briefing notes, solicitation plans and call reports to track donor interaction
• Providing innovative approaches to developing new programs and elements to the University’s advancement and fundraising programs and activities
• Preparing projects and plans that require a rigorous approach and attention to very fine detail
• Building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners of strategic importance
• Developing and implementing donor management and stewardship plans that support strategic objectives
• Interpreting gift agreement terms to ensure they comply with University policies and guidelines
• Delivering presentations to promote programs, opportunities and/or initiatives
• Handling sensitive and/or confidential information
• Drafting donor acknowledgment and recognition communications, donor gift agreements and presentation materials
• Interpreting and applying policies and procedures when making independent decisions
• Developing marketing/communications strategies that support fundraising campaigns and programs.

Supports records and data management by

• Producing complex donor reports
• Generating reports to track fundraising progress against campaign goals
• Analyzing complex giving and donor trends/patterns and making strategic recommendations to senior advancement leaders

Qualifications Required

Education
Undergraduate degree and knowledge of development principles and practices, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience

Experience

• Minimum seven years of related and recent experience in fundraising
• Experience working with Arbor or a similar donor database management system
• Experience in conducting development-related research
• Experience creating donor correspondence from non-template documents
• Demonstrated success in building collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Exceptional inter-personal and communications (written and verbal) skills
• Strong computer skills with experience in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Internet
• Strong organizational and analytical skills
• Evidence of leadership, initiative, and creativity
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, tact, diplomacy, discretion, and confidentiality
• Ability to set priorities and targets and to meet deadlines in relation to frequently changing demands
• Demonstrated accuracy and attention to detail
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment

Internal Candidates

Please submit applications online by logging into Dayforce. Visit https://www.vicu.utoronto.ca/careers/ and click Internal Opportunities to proceed.

External Candidates

Please proceed by clicking "Apply".

Victoria University thanks all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.